DOLE calls on DOH to initiate pay increase for private sector medical workers

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is calling on the Department of Health (DOH) to initiate the crafting of a legislation that will raise the wages of nurses and other medical workers in the private sector to be at par with those in public hospitals.

“In one of our IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force) meetings, I appealed to Secretary [Francisco] Duque of DOH to initiate a proposal to Congress for the upgrading of the nurses, medical workers’ [wages] in the private sector to the level of nurses and medical workers in the public sector,” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said in a virtual press briefing on Wednesday.

“Napakalaki ng discrepancy that is why our nurses and medical workers are looking for overseas employment,” Bello said.

The Labor chief said nurses are usually working for 10 to 12 hours a day but are only paid P15,000 to P18,000 a month.

“That’s way, way below the rate of nurses in the public sector,” Bello said.

Under the salary standardization law, a Nurse 1 at Salary Grade 11 receives P22,316 monthly wage.

“Talagang dapat naman talagang itaas. Ang high-end hospital owners, ‘wag naman nila i-exploit ang kanilang health workers,” Bello said.

The Labor chief also urged private sector nurses and medical workers to assert their right for a fair wage.

Bello said private medical workers are usually meek and are not filing labor complaints.—AOL, GMA News